Ornamental device



June 25, 1940. o, PLACCO ommunum. nsvxcs 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 Filed Nov. 12, 1938 MIR" l i Will a INVENTOR.

8 M. 7 a m 7 Ii I r I June 25, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 q.EA

INVENTOR. Oscar P/acco ATTORNEYS Patented June 25, 1940 PATENT OFFICE ORNAMENTAL DEVICE Oscar Placco,

Cranston, R. I.

Application November 12, 1938, Serial No. 239,985

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved ornamental device. g

One of the objects ofmy invention is to provide an ornamental device, whereby initials or other ornamental members may be readily connected to a holding frame and said initials or other ornamental devices can be readily detached from said holding frame.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which can be readily manufactured at low cost and which will be simple and easy to manipulate, sothat a retailer can readily insert the desired initials into a frame.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the above statement of the objects of my invention is intended generally to explain the same without limitingit in any manner.

Fig; I is a rear elevation of the improved device, part of the representation of the frame having been omitted.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 4:18:23, partial side elevation of: the device. 1

Fig..5is a partial top plan view of the frame of the. device.

Fig. 6 is a partial 'side'elevation of an initial.

of the frame Fig, 6A is .a-partial rear elevation of the ornamental frame. v

Fig.7 is a perspective View of the holding frame, the. holding lugs la being shown as bent outwardly from-their normal-shape, which'is shown inFig'. 2.-

Fig. 8 is-a sectional-view on the line 88 of Fig. 9 is. a rear perspective view of one.of the initials. 1

The device-comprises an ornamental frame I, whose front surface 2 can be decorated by means of jewelsor the like. shown in Fig. 6A, this ornamental. frame is"pro.vided with a central opening ofsquare shape. The shape of said opening can be varied'as desired. The rear wall of the frame I has a depression adjacent the wall of said central opening so as to form a shoulder 20 and also to form a ledge 2|. As shown in Fig. '7, the holding frame has side bars Band a of angular shape, a top bar 3 and a bottom bar 4. The top bar 3 is provided with a series of integral depending lugs 6 at the inner edge thereof, and with another series of integral depending lugs l at the outer edge thereof. The bottom-bar 4 is provided with upstanding integral lugs to which are respectively aligned with the lugs 6. Said bottom bar 4 is also providedwith .5 integral bendable and resilient upstanding lugs la which are respectively aligned" with thelugs "I. Fig. 7 shows the tongues 1a bent outwardly from their normal shape, said normal shape being shown in Fig. 2. I In this specific-embodiment 10 there are five lugs 6 and live lugs 60.. Some of the lugs to are concealed in Fig. 7 by the aligned lugs 1a in Fig. 7.

The holding frameshown in Fig. '7 is connected to the ledge 2|, by means of solder or the like. The lugs 6 and 601. then respectively abut the top and bottom bars of said ledge. The bars of the holding frame then abut the legs of the shoulder of the ornamental frame I. The bars of the holding frame then project rearwardly of 20 the rear wall of the ornamental frame I, as shown in Fig. 2 for example.

A first holding member or wire 8 is clamped permanently in position between the lugs 6 and I. The ends of the wire 8 abut the rearwardly projecting portions of the angle bars 5 and 5a. The wire 8 can be inserted and clamped between lugs B and 1, before the holding frame is connected to the outer ornamental frame.

A bottom holding member or wire 9 can be held releasably in position between the upstanding lugs to and tongues la. These lugs la may be resilient so that the wire 9 can be sprung into the position shown in Fig. 2by temporarily distorting the tongues la. from the predetermined normal shape which is shown in Fig. 2. If desired, the lugs la may originally have the shape shown in Fig. 7 and said lugs can be bent inwardly to'the' shape shown in Fig. 2, in order to clamp the holding member 9. However, it is preferred to make the 40 lugsla resilient, and of the normal shape of Fig; 2.

The initials l0 are provided with lugs or tongues II. The thickness of each lug H is less than the thickness of the corresponding initial l I The rear surfaces of the lugs I l are flush with the rear surface of the initials, as shown in Fig. 9. The top lugs H, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, can be inserted into the spaces between adjacent lugs 6. Said top lugs l I are then held against outward movement in either direction by means of the ledge2l and the wire 8. Said top lugs l I fit snugly between adjacent lugs 5. The bottom lugs ll of the initials can be easily located between adjacent tongues Go,

as the wire 9 is then out of the frame. This can 7 be done easily, even if the lugs la then have the '55 shape shown in Fig. 2. The initials will then be located in the positions shown in Fig. l. The wire 9 can then be forced downwardly so as to spring past the tips of the tongues 1a. The tongues la then hold the bottom Wire 9 firmly but releasably. This completes the assemblage of the initials with the composite frame, because the lugs ll of the initials are held against lateral movement by means of the tongues 6 and 6a., and they are held against outward movement by means of the wires 8 and 9. If it is desired to remove or to replace an initial, the wire 9 can be readily moved out of position by means of a suitable tool, and said Wire 9 can then be easily replaced. In order to remove the wire, it is not necessary to deform lugs la permanently from the shape shown in Fig. 2.

The outer frame I is provided with the usual holding pin P which is hinged at 22 to the outer frame I. The usual catch 23 is provided for said pin P.

All the parts can be made of metal or other suitable material.

For convenience, the device will be set forth in the claims with reference to the position thereof which is shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the top tongues ll of the initials about the ledge 2| and thatsaid top tongues l l are located between the inner lugs 6 and in front of the top holding member 8. The bottom tongues H of theinitials are located between the lugs 6a and said bottom tongues II also abut the ledge 2|. When the wire 9 is in position, the bottom tongues l I are located in front of said bottom wire 9.

When the retailer receives the device, the initials are separate from the frame and the bottom wire 9 is also separate from the frame. The retailer can then select the initials and insert them into the holding frame. The holding member 9 is then sprung into the position shown in Fig. 2. If it is desired to replace an initial, the wire 9 can be forced out of position by means of a suitable tool, without permanently distorting the lugs or tongues la. If desired the lugs or tongues la can be bent rearwardly, in order to conveniently remove the holding member 9 and the initials I0.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from its spirit.

For example, the rear'spaced lugs I or la could be continuous so as to provide a continuous rim or rims, for holding the holding members 8 and 9 against rear movement out of the frame. While it is convenient and preferable to make the holding frame as a unit independent of the outer frame I, and then to connect the holding frame to the outer frame, the claims are not limited to said preferred construction.

In order to define the invention in the claims, lugs 6 are designated as first lugs, lug l as second lugs, lugs 6a as third lugs, and lugs la as fourth lugs.

Referring to Fig. 2, the holding members 8 and 9 prevent the initials from being moved outwardly in the left-hand direction. The ledge 2i constitutes supplemental means which prevent the initials from being moved outwardly in the righthand direction.

I claim:

1. An ornamental device comprising an outer frame having an opening which extends through said frame, said outer frame having a front wall and a rear wall, said rear wall having a recess, said recess being larger than said opening so as to provide a ledge of said rear wall intermediate the inner edge of the recess and the edge of the opening, an inner holding frame located in said recess, said inner frame having first lugs and second lugs extending inwardly from opposed edges of said inner frame, the first lugs abutting said ledge and the second lugs being spaced rearwardly from said ledge, a first holding member held between said first lugs and said second lugs and spaced from said ledge, said inner frame also having third lugs and fourth lugs, which extend inwardly from opposed edges of said inner frame, the third lugs abutting said ledge and the fourth lugs being spaced rearwardly from said ledge, ornamental members having first tongues and second tongues at opposed ends thereof, the first tongues abutting said ledge and being located intermediate said first lugs and in front of the first holding member, the second tongues abutting said ledge and being located intermediate said third lugs, and a secondholding member held intermediate the third lugs and the fourth lugs, the second tongues being located in front of the second holding member.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the fourth lugs are resilient and have a predetermined normal shape, said fourth lugs being sufficiently yieldable and resilient so that the second holding member can be sprung into position and out of position without substantially deforming said fourth lugs.

3. An ornamental device comprising a frame having an opening, said frame having a front edge and also having a rear edge, four series of lugs, each said lugextending inwardly from the wall of said frame, each lug having one end thereof connected to the wall of the frame, the first series of lugs extending inwardly from a first part of the front edge of the frame the second series of lugs extending inwardly from the rear edge of the first part of the frame so that the first series and the second series form an associated pair of series, the third series of lugs extending inwardly from the front edge of a 1 second part of the frame, said second part of the frame being substantially directly opposed to the first part of the frame, the fourth series of lugs extending inwardly from the rear edge of the second part of the frame so that the third series and the fourth series of lugs form a second pair of series of lugs, a first holding member located between and held in position by the first series and the second series, a second holding member located between and held in position by the third series and the fourth series, ornamental members having tongues, each tongue being located between two lugs which are located at the rear edge of the frame, said tongues being located in front of said holding members, said frame having supplemental means at the front thereof to hold said ornamental members against movement out of the front of the frame.

., OSCAR PLACCO. 

